What jobs are available and how to get them
Barristers represent clients in court and draft legal documents
A Barrister is a law professional who represents clients in court
The first step towards qualifying is to get a Law degree or graduate law conversion course
We recommend that while you're a student you try to do at least three mini-Pupillages and by finding other work experience opportunities
After this you will need to complete a reasoning test called the Bar Course Aptitude Test
If you pass this test you can apply for a Bar Professional Training Course. This is a year long course
You will also need to complete 12 qualifying sessions with a one of the Inns of Court
Following this you do two or more Pupillages - these are six month placements at Baristers' Chambers
This can lead on to a Tenancy in a chamber, or employment
This advice is also relevant to non-law students
If you're not studying law, it's worth thinking about these things in the final year of your degree
Mini-pupillages are two-week work placements with a legal chambers
These placements are of increasing importance due to the high level of competition for pupillages
Mini-pupillages are usually undertaken by people doing law degrees or conversion courses
Some law schools recommend that students take three mini-pupillages while studying
The four Inns of Court are societies of barristers. In order to take qualifications in this area, one needs to first belong to one of these bodies. The deadline to apply is 31 May the year before the start of the Bar training course
The Inns of Court offer scholarships for the BPTC. These open in September/October and close on 3 November 2017
The Bar Course Aptitude Test is a screening measure to ensure that people studying BPTCs are capable of getting qualified. It is necessary to take this test before applying for BPTC courses
It costs £150 if taken in the EU, and £170 if taken outside the EU.
BCAT opened on 16 December 2016 and closes on 30 September 2017
To qualify as a Barrister, you need to obtain a Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC)
This is a one year course run in a university.
The first round of applications was from 12 December 2016 to 11 January 2017.
The clearing round for applications in 2017 will take place between 14 April 2017 and 1 September 2017.
Pupillages are year long placements with law firms, these are split into two six month periods working in chambers under the supervision of a junior Barrister. In some cases, people take a third six month period in order to improve their employability
Start searching for pupillages on the Pupillage Gateway from 28 November 2017 (applications open from 8 Jan - 7 Feb 2018)
The pay for a pupillage is at least £1,000 a month, and can be up to £30,000 a year
Every year around 1,700 people study a BPTC
Every year around 480 Pupillages are offered
People can apply for Pupillages for 5 years after their course
This means that every year there are around 3,000 people applying for Pupillages
On average, only 34% of BPTC students go on to get a Pupillage
